Walking in Suffolk - three easy week long trails

What is Suffolk like for walking?

Suffolk is the ideal place for a quick and easy long-distance walking holiday. The Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB is host to three long-distance trails – the Suffolk Coast Path, the Stour and Orwell Walk, and the Sandlings Walk. The three long-distance walks link together to provide a comprehensive and varied circuit of the entire Suffolk heritage coast. Each of these paths has been carefully developed to reveal the most distinctive features of the area, which can be explored in easy stages. While the Suffolk Coast Path and the Stour and Orwell Walk remain on the coast, much of the route of the Sandlings Walk lies within the confines of the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB.

What is the landscape like?

This region can be broadly divided into three types of landscape – coast, estuary and heathland, or Sandlings, as they are locally known – and the three long-distance walks are each focused on one of these landscape types. All three have plenty to offer visitors in terms of scenery, wildlife and historic interest, and the footpaths, bridleways and quiet lanes found here make for excellent walking. It seems hard to imagine that somewhere quite so tranquil is just a couple of hours’ drive away from London. With a unique lansdcape of cliffs, marshes, dunes and shingle beaches, and rare plants and birdlife galore, there is much to attract anyone seeking interesting day walks or longer multi-day itineraries.

How difficult is walking in Suffolk?

None of the routes here are especially demanding – all are suitable for newcomers to long-distance walking and all can be done by anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. All the routes are clearly waymarked and involve easy walking on the flat, although some stretches along shingle and sand will inevitably be more tiring, as will muddy paths after wet weather.

The Suffolk Coast Path

The Suffolk Coast Path stretches along the coast between Lowestoft in the north and Landguard Fort, close to Felixstowe, in the south, a total distance of 55–60 miles (89–97km), depending on whether beach walking or inland options are followed. The path can be walked in either direction, but, if walked north to south, can link up with a south to north traverse of the Sandlings Walk. The finish point at Landguard Fort also marks the beginning of the Stour and Orwell Walk, which makes a natural extension for those wishing to walk further.

The Suffolk Coast Path will probably take the average walker between five and seven days – although building in a rest day to enjoy either Southwold or Aldeburgh, or both, is recommended.

The Stour and Orwell Walk

The Stour and Orwell Walk continues where the Suffolk Coast Path ends, starting at Landguard Point and threading around the estuaries of the Stour and Orwell rivers to finish at Cattawade, close to the Essex border. This 43-mile (69km) route takes in both the north and south shores of the River Orwell and the north shore of the River Stour. Although much of the way is beside the water, there are inland sections, too, which add to the variety.

This whole route can be completed over a period of four days, or even three long days for fitter walkers. The route may also be shortened considerably by making use of the seasonal Landguard Fort to Shotley Gate ferry service, which effectively cuts out the Orwell section of the walk.